Lincoln Society of Dayton Records (MS-642)

The first box in Series I: Administrative covers the workings of the society itself, such as the Constitution and Officer Elections. Additionally, any newsletters or press releases made by the LSOD highlight both the objectives of the society and the plans that it made to accomplish them. Furthermore, the meeting agendas and minutes contained within the second box showcase the conversations of the society’s officers, who were a close-knit group of Lincoln aficionados. Also notable in this series are files pertaining to the selection of the sculptor for the Courthouse statue; ultimately, Michael Major of Urbana was chosen. Materials in Series I date from 2003 to 2017.

Most of Series II: Correspondence stems from two members of the society: Diane Buchanan and Maribeth Graham. Given their roles as President and Vice-President of the Lincoln Society of Dayton for the majority of the collection’s time frame, their e-mails should be helpful in identifying the mindset of the society’s leadership. Other notable correspondence comes from Tom Cecil, who founded the society and spearheaded efforts during the first several years its existence. Materials in Series II date from 2003 to 2017.

The final series, Series III: Fundraising contains most of the information pertaining to the fundraising events organized by the society. This primarily entails the annual Ice Cream Social, the auction in 2011, and the theatre viewing of the 2012 Stephen Spielberg Lincoln film. Also included are the multitude of fliers and advertisements that the society published over the 14 years of the collection. Materials in Series III date from 2009 to 2017.